Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a video game developed by 2K Australia with cooperation from Gearbox Software, formally announced on April 9th, 2014 and released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on October 14th, 2014 for America, October 16th, 2014 for Australasia, and October 17th, 2014 for Europe. It was later included alongside Borderlands 2 as part of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection on March 27th, 2015.

Contents

Story

Set at a point between Borderlands and Borderlands 2, four aspiring Vault Hunters fight alongside Handsome Jack, witnessing his transformation into the ruthless tyrant people loved to hate in Borderlands 2, and inadvertently assisting with the rise of the Hyperion Corporation and his position within it.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel begins as Colonel Zarpedon and her Lost Legion assault and capture the Helios space station. Jack proceeds to send his new Vault Hunters to the surface of Elpis, Pandora's moon, in an effort to find a way to retake the station.

Unlike Borderlands or Borderlands 2, where events take place as they occur, the events of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel are the story told by a captured Athena to an audience of Lilith, Mordecai and Brick, with occasional interjects from other characters as the story progresses.

The signature shoot n’ loot gameplay of the Borderlands series expands with the addition of low-gravity combat and oxygen-powered double-jumping, the icy cryo element, the deadly and varied laser weapon class, and new vehicles to help explore the lunar landscape of Elpis.

Weapons and Manufacturers

The Pre-Sequel uses the Borderlands 2 Weapons system, with some changes and additions. Many of the items return or are re-purposed versions of their Borderlands 2 counterparts. Unique and legendary items continue to have flavor text and associated special weapon effects. The primary differences between games are:

Dahl's weapons focus on stability, precision and burst fire, and feature camouflage coloring. Most Dahl weapons feature a full auto fire rate without scoping in, while scoped in the gun shoots in bursts.

Hyperion weapons focus on high accuracy, with sleek styling. Unlike with other weapons, the accuracy of Hyperion weapons increases the longer the trigger is depressed, but they start off with low accuracy. There are two types of Hyperion weapon - those that were previously featured in Borderlands 2, featuring mostly yellow/green coloration; and 'old' Hyperion weapons that are red with black stripes, featuring higher bullet damage but lower fire rate and accuracy.

Jakobs weapons retain their tradition of high non-elemental damage (with exception to a few weapons), high recoil and low magazine sizes. Assault rifles, shotguns and pistols fire as fast as the trigger is pulled, while sniper rifles range from slow bolt action to semi-automatic.

Maliwan weapons focus on elemental damage, and take on a very sleek and futuristic design with rounded corners, bright colors and blinking lights.

Scavs make many of their own weapons. These weapons appear as if poorly taped and cobbled together, and while mostly featuring mediocre stats, sport the largest magazine capacities.

Tediore weapons are thrown away and explode like grenades; the more ammo left in the clip, the more powerful the explosion. A fully-loaded gun digistructs in the character's hand after the expended weapon is discarded. In addition to this mechanic, Tediore laser weapons also discharge a mildly damaging shock tether to nearby enemies before detonation.

Vladof continues their tradition of weapons with extremely high rates of fire, and produce rotating minigun-like barrels.

Miscellaneous Features

Badass Rank - Completing challenges increases Badass Rank, and the harder or higher level the challenge is, the more Badass Rank is rewarded upon completion. Earning enough rank awards a Badass Token, redeemable for stat increases that apply to all characters belonging to a profile. Badass ranks are now visible to other players in a co-op game. A Badass Rank of 2500 or higher is required to get the Excalibastard.

Character Customization - Skins and heads are available as drops from bosses, certain enemies and as mission or challenge rewards. They feature varying grades of rarity.

Grinder - A machine that combines 3 items of the same rarity, conforming to a recipe, to potentially create higher quality items. Moonstones can be added to most Grinder combinations, ensuring the best possible outcome for the items used, including a chance of adding a Luneshine bonus to the created weapon.

Inspection - During co-op games, players can inspect one another, bringing up a copy of their friend's ECHO log to see what items they have equipped, which skills they are specced into, and their Badass Rank rewards.

Luneshine - An additional bonus that weapons may possess, with a chance of appearing on weapons contained within Moonstone Treasure Chests or on Moonstone-ground Grinder combinations.

Moonstone - Used as a currency for the Black Market, the Grinder, and Moxx-tails, and 40 can be used to unlock Moonstone Treasure Chests for high-quality loot.

Moxx-tails - Special drinks that can be bought using Moonstones from Mad Moxxi's Up Over Bar, granting various substantial buffs that last for 30 minutes.

One Point Wonders - "Game changer" skills that can change available options and gameplay styles while only requiring a single skill point investment.

Oz Kits - Small, shoulder mounted pieces of equipment that stop Vault Hunters from suffocating when outside of an atmosphere and allow them to perform "double jump" air boosts and "butt-slam" attacks as long as their limited oxygen supply isn't depleted. Replaces the relic equipment slot from Borderlands 2.

Trivia

Pandora's moon is named Elpis after the Greek personification and spirit of hope, the last thing that was freed from Pandora's Box.

The songs that play over the introductory cutscene are Black Dragon, and (briefly) Goodbye, both by The Vines.

The song that plays over the end credits is What Makes A Good Man? by The Heavy.